Sayre
by Faithchild
Summary: Sayre had led a humble, albeit not peaceful, life living in the Dells. But when a certain prince comes up to the doorway of the school she teaches at, she can't help but be reminded of his late father - King Nax - who had wrecked havoc on the kingdom in the past. Will she be able to give his son the benefit of the doubt? Or will she find history repeating itself?


Disclaimer: I do not own the novel 'Fire' nor the Graceling trilogy and its characters/setting. The book this fan fiction is based on was written by Kristin Cashore.

Author's Note: I am a die-hard fan of Kristin Cashore's works aaaah I've been wanting to write a fan fiction on how the two minor characters, Garan and Sayre, introduced in her novel 'Fire' met. So here it is. Hope ya guys loof it. First chapter is just a lil snippet.

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Chapter 1: Prince Garan

When she first heard about Garan, Sayre hated him.

"And I heard he will be picking a few qualified personnel from here to go teach the palace children."

"Oh, the royal family usually gets what they want anyway since they are made of money."

"It takes a lot to run a kingdom and still have to worry about these little things like the education of palace children." Others would chime in, defending the throne.

 _Whatever it is, there is no way I want to have to do with anything regarding the royal family_ , Sayre would think sternly to herself after subject to all the gossip that swam around her like a never ending tide. Royal family? What was so royal about their father having done the disgraceful things he had done as king. There was nothing royal about his treatment of women nor his failure to uphold the kingdom's laws.

The apple couldn't have fallen too far from the tree.

Even at her first time seeing Prince Garan, Sayre hated him.

"Say, Madame Sayre, do you know that tall man there?" Henry, her youngest student had asked one afternoon as she turned to look in the direction he pointed and saw indeed a tall male with dark facial features, dark eyes, dark hair. She gasped.

"He looks an awful lot like his Father, that Garan, does he not." Jane, a much older woman who taught with Sayre at their school for gifted children, retorted in a whisper while taking hold of a book from the shelf right beside them.

Just then the tall male glanced over at Sayre who remained staring wide eyed at him. She quickly looked away then back at the boy Henry, forcing a smile before,"That is Prince Garan. He has come to check on your beautiful school, Henry."

And just like that, the noble prince began visiting their school throughout the week, taking walks with his guard around the perimeters. Sometimes he would stop to talk to a child and seemingly ask about their studies. And every time, Sayre would be on alert. He looked too much like his father. He looked too much like he could abuse his power and no one would raise a finger. He looked too much like something out of the worst nightmares of her past that would happen again.

/

One such morning, Prince Garan was speaking in a low voice to the man on his left. The man, seemingly his personal guard, scribbled a few things into the scroll he was holding. They were attracting an awful lot of attention from the children who were trying to read their morning manuscripts. Sayre got up. She swiftly walked up towards the men. Garan heard her before he saw her, turning to face the incoming person.

"I truly apologize Lord Prince but I believe the children are not able to do their best in their readings because of your respected presence. I will have to ask you to please leave." She took in the shocked expressions of his advisors and guard. The Prince himself held her gaze. Whether this man was about to slap her across her face or genuinely laugh at her reprise were both equally plausible options.

His guard next to him tending to the manuscript began,"How dare you, a common woma—"

"Denley," the Prince began, tone solemn. "Miss Sayre is right. She is only doing what any teacher would want best for the children." He kept his lazy, cold gaze on her as he said this. "If you'll excuse us."

They had left. And it had been exactly a day later that Sayre received an invitation from Prince Garan's advisor, at her door. She had been summoned to the palace.


End file.
